The two candidates for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts are into the final full day of campaigning ahead of tomorrow’s special election. Democratic Congressman Edward Markey started his day in Springfield
Markey greeted patrons at Palazzo Café in downtown Springfield. Markey said the issue he is stressing in the campaign’s final hours is jobs.
The veteran congressman took time to relax with a cappuccino and a plate of pastries at a small table where he was joined by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and four members of the city’s all-Democratic delegation to the Massachusetts Legislature.
Markey said his campaign is taking nothing for granted.
Margery Pessolano of Wilbraham is a campaign volunteer who said she never stops talking up Markey’s bid for the Senate
From Springfield ,Markey was scheduled to travel to Worcester and then on to Lawrence before holding an election-eve rally at the YMCA in his hometown of Malden.
Republican Gabriel Gomez is barnstorming through several communities south of Boston. It is an area where Republicans have made inroads in recent elections. Gomez needs to do very well there tomorrow to offset the traditional Democratic votes that will come from Springfield, Worcester and Boston. The Gomez campaign will hold an election-eve rally in Quincy with former Republican Senator Scott Brown, who won his seat in a special election.
Markey has consistently led in all pre-election polls. The latest survey by Western New England University, released over the weekend, had Markey with a 49 percent to 41 percent lead over Gomez among likely voters, with just nine percent undecided.
The poll does not appear to offer much hope for Gomez. When people were asked which candidate had the experience to effectively represent Massachusetts in Washington, 55 percent of the likely voters said Markey. The director of the university’s polling institute, Tim Vercellotti said the data suggests Gomez’s attempts to turn Markey’s 37- year congressional career into a liability has not resonated with enough voters.
Markey also outpolled Gomez on the question of which would be more bi-partisan.
Also, the poll found voters give Markey the advantage on key issues such as gun control and job creation.
The poll also appears to support expectations that voter turnout will be very low. Nearly a third of registered voters said they had little or no interest in the Senate election.
Polling places across Massachusetts will be open from 7a.m. to 8 p.m. for tomorrow’s special Senate election.
